Somersaulting toy



18, 1928. 1,695,310 l P. WSTENDRFER SOMERSAULTING TOY Filed OcfI` 11. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l De.; 1s, 192s. v 1,695,310

P. WSTENDRFER SOMERSAULTING TOY Filed Occ` l1, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 18, 1928.

UNITED `*STATES y l 1,695,310 PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIPP WSTENDRFER, F FURTH, GERMANY. l.

SOMERSAULTING TOY.

Application ledctober 11,l 1927, Serial No. 225,465, and in Germany May 4, 1927.

ligure *designed for sliding down this in-y cline. In rushing down the runway the toy figure is suddenly momentarily halted at the' break in the track, is then cata-pulted by its own momentum across the track interruption l0 and is at the same time by a power storing means caused to execute a complete somersault in the air, and finally lands in proper upright position on the run-out section of the runway down which it continues to the end of the track.

In order to make my invention more readily understood, I will now describe it in detail in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows, on a reduced scale, a side elevation of the complete track structure with the toy figure in various positions of movement, the full-line figure showing the jumper immediately after it has started from the level platform down the runway, and the dashline figures respectively showing the jumper at the moment of being momentarily arrested and then shot up and upset at the upwardly curved lower end of the track, and, again, in the air completing the loop-the-loop and about to drop onto the upper end of the run-out section of the runway. Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are side elevations, partly in section, of the toy jumper in dif' ferent operative positions to be described in detail further down. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the jumper on the track, the latter partly in section, and Fig. 7 shows the underside of the wheeled truck, to the upper face of which the toy figure proper is fixed.

The runway or track, as shown by way of example, is made in two sections 1 and 100 and is preferably, but not necessarily, provided withy parallel grooves 2 for guiding the wheels 3 of the little truck Ll'upon which the Vtoy jumper 5 is rigidly mounted. The truck comprises the platform 6, on which the wheels 3 are suitably mounted for rotation. On the underface of the platform 6 is provided a power storing device, comprising 'a spring-actuated member 7 which, as shown by way of example, is formed of sheet metal with a cut-out 13 near its front edge. l However, this member 7 may also be in the form of a simple wire loop or yoke. In either case it is fulerumed at its inner end at 8 to the platform and is controlled byva helical wire spring (.Fig. 7

This power device is nothing other than that so well know-n in the construction of mouse and other traps, vthe power storing, spring-actuated member ofy which is normally retained in the stressed position by a trigger, or a releaser lever which in turn is coir Upon the jumper running down the relatively steeply pitched section 1 of the runway it rapidly gathers momentum so that, it will readily and with force run up the upwardly curved track portion where the trigger nose 11 will encounter the track stop 12 (Fig. 3) and-will be oscillated backwardly thereby, with the result that instantly the power device is released and, its rebounding power storingmember 7 striking the track in front of stop 12 (Fig. 4), will swing around its fulcrum Sand cause the jumper to turn a back somersault (Fig. 5), the stop 12 serving as outer fulcrum for the member 7 to complete the looping movement. The momentum of the jumper is sufiic-ient to cause a completey somersaulting movement and to also carry the jumper across the track interruption to safely droponto the lower section of the'runway in proper upright position.

The released power member 7, on comi-ng free from the stop 12, folds fiat against the underface of the platform, and for again setting the device. for a new operation, it is merely swung back again into the tensioned end position and retained therein by the trigger member, as described above.

Thistoy, without requiring the vuse of a special actuating mechanism, gives vthe child a clever'demonstration of theexecution of a free loop-the-loop or somersault.

Obviously, the track may be made to present a smooth track surface, that is to sayl kso without the wheel-guiding grooves shown banked to prevent the jumper' from running off the track in 1its descent.

l. In a toy of the eharaeter set forth, in combination, an inclined, interrupted runway, comprising a main section and a runout section, a toy ligure adapted to slide down said runway, including` a trigger-controlled power device, and a releaser member on said main runway section for cooperation with said powerdeyice for sudden release thereofV for causing the said toy ligure to execute a complete backward somersault during its' passage Yfrom the main section of the runway to the run-out section.

2. ln a toy of the character set forth, 1n

combination, an inclined, two-sectioned runu Way presenting` guide grooves all down itsv length, a wheeled toy ligure designed for guided running l1n `said grooves, comprising operate with, and retain said power storing -inelnber `1n its tensioned end position, and

stop means in proximity of the lower crossedge of the first runway section, adapted Jlprimarilyto cooperate with said trigger member for release of said tensioned power storingV member at a ,predetermined time in the descent ol' said toy ligure, and seeondarily serving the released power storing memberas outer ruler-um to throw said toy ligure into a backward somersault during its passage from the iii-st to the second section of the runway.

ln testimony whereol:l I aix my signature.

PHILIPP- WSTENDRFER. 

